Schumer pushes for infrastructure spending

Sunday morning, New York Sen. Chuck Schumer (D) argued that Congress should not let the talks on cutting the deficit distract attention from the need to create more jobs and argued for increased infrastructure investment to tackle the high unemployment rate.

“Deficit reduction is necessary but not sufficient,” Schumer said on CBS' "Face the Nation." “There hasn't been enough focus on jobs and job creation.”

“Democrats are going to put forth an agenda this summer and this fall, jobs first” Schumer added.

Both parties are maneuvering to secure a deal to reduce the deficit as part of a package to raise the debt limit before an August deadline.

Republicans are pushing for tax cuts and reduced spending while Democrats are trying to ensure that any deal also helps businesses boost hiring.

Schumer pushed for more infrastructure investment to cut the unemployment rate. “Economists will tell you that when you build infrastructure, it creates new jobs. And we should be doing something like that.”

As a goal, Schumer suggested that “for every trillion we cut in the deficit we should seek to create a million jobs in the short term.”

---